6 arrested for peddling fake gold bars in Digos City

DIGOS CITY, Davao del Sur, Philippines—Police authorities here announced Wednesday the arrest of six people believed to belong to a syndicate which has been dealing in fake gold bars and has victimized several people in the province, including prominent personalities.

Supt. Querubin Manalang, city police chief, said the suspects were arrested during a sting operation in Abella Subdivision here on Tuesday.

He identified them as Manuel Camelo, 29; Ryan Givera, 36; Jail Tambuto, 44; Shirley Manuel, 40; Aden Akdang, 44,; and Pacio Santillan. The suspects were all residents of Barangay Clib in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur.

Senior Supt. Michael John Dubria, provincial police director, said the entrapment operation involving members of the provincial police office, the city police office, Bansalan police, and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, was launched after a man who wanted to buy gold bars but had doubts about his impending transaction with the suspects, contacted the police.

The man – whose identity was not disclosed – had played along to ensure the suspects’ arrest, Dubria said.

Manalang said that at the agreed upon meet-up point, the suspects were caught red-handed as they were receiving the P1,000 marked money from the police.

Chief Insp. Arvin Avelino, CIDG head for Davao del Sur, said the police also seized from the suspects parts of what could be a fake gold bar and two pieces pf melted metals that were made to look like real gold.

Avelino said the police also seized three cellular phones that the suspects might have used in their transactions, a tablet, and two motorcycles.

All the seized items would be submitted for testing while charges of syndicated estafa were being prepared against the suspects, who were being kept at the city police’s lock up cell, Avelino said.

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